A moulding device for moulding three-dimensional products from a mass of foodstuff is known, for example, from WO2004002229 and from WO2010110655. These known moulding devices comprise a moulding drum which is driven so as to rotate about an axial rotation axis by means of a drive motor. The moulding drum has a peripheral surface with multiple moulding cavities. During operation, the moulding cavities are filled with the foodstuff by means of a mass feed device which is supported by the frame and is arranged in a filling position with respect to the peripheral surface of the moulding drum. The foodstuff is fed to an inlet of the mass feed device by means of a pump.
In these known devices, the mass feed device comprises a curved and flexible plastic shoe plate having a curvature which corresponds to the moulding drum, which shoe plate has a flat side by means of which the shoe plate sealingly bears against the smooth cylindrical peripheral surface of the moulding drum. The shoe plate comprises a mouth which ends at the peripheral surface of the moulding drum in such a way that the moulding cavities which move past during rotation of the moulding drum come into communication with said mouth in order to fill the cavities with the foodstuff as they move past. In order to ensure sealing, these known mass feed devices comprise a pressure member for keeping the shoe plate firmly pressed against the peripheral surface of the moulding drum. In practice, the total pressing force on the shoe plate may amount to multiple tonnes, even more than 10 tonnes. These moulding devices make it possible to mould food products having a consistent shape, volume and weight at high capacity, for example made of minced meat, for example hamburgers or other such meat products.
It is also known in these known moulding devices to provide the bottom of the moulding cavities in the moulding drum with a profile, so that a product is moulded which has a profiled bottom side. The moulded product is then flat on the filling side.